1. Opportunities in Disaster for Advisory Board Members April 2007

2. Project: Building a Local Disaster Team

3. Step One: Recruitment The first step is to recruit approximately 25 eager, new volunteers from the community who are interested in disaster work and The Salvation Army.

4. Let’s Make It Work • Task a project coordinator; using an advisory board member works best • Advertise through local media (template news article available); • Advertise on your local website; • Talk with potential partners, specifically, local firefighters, emergency management, churches, United Way, or volunteer center.

5. Your Recruitment Goal • Try to recruit approximately 25 volunteers because … • About half will drop out; • About half won’t available when you need them during a disaster • Leaving you two shifts of three canteen workers • 25 • 13 • 12 • 6 • 2 teams of 3

6. Step Two: Training The second step is to host a basic training camp for your newly recruited volunteers. This training session will allow you to: • Teach your new recruits some essential skills; • Explain to them your expectations for Salvation Army disaster volunteers; and • Register and screen your new volunteers.

7. National Disaster Training Program

8. Let’s Make It Work • Schedule “The Salvation Army Introduction to Disaster Services” (4.0 hours) and “Introduction to Disaster Food Service” (4.0 hours); • Ask THQ if they are able to help fund your training event; • Obtain approval for your disaster training from DHQ and register the course through THQ. If necessary, ask for THQ support in securing instructors; • Actively participate in the initial training; this will help you get to know the skills and personalities of your new volunteers and screen out any challenging personalities; • Be sure to have your new volunteers fill out all disaster worker registration forms BEFORE they leave your training class. • Announce the date of our orientation meeting before your training session ends.

9. Step Three: Implementation & Growth The third step is to start molding your new volunteers into a team and assigning responsibility. Treat them as new employees, setting the same expectations for their conduct. Remember, if you want to retain your new volunteers you must get them engaged. Set expectations. Assign responsibilities. Volunteers who feel they a stake in your disaster program will participate; those that don’t are likely to drift away.

10. Let’s Make It Work • Host a meeting to organize your new volunteers into a team. If possible, appoint team leader(s). Determine who is qualified to serve as canteen drivers, servers, etc. • Assign volunteers to review the readiness of your disaster equipment, inspecting the corps canteen and other disaster supplies. Have them make a list of what needs to be fixed and what equipment needs to be added. • Discuss how the team will be activated and deployed during an emergency; develop a call-down list; assign an “emergency” cell phone to the on-call team leader. • Report the status of the project to your advisory board.

11. Let’s Make It Work • Give your canteen crew practical opportunities to practice using the canteen. For a first run, have them deploy the canteen to serve lunch at a corps service on Sunday, a local Boys and Girls club, or shelter. Let them work to emergency management and other multi-agency exercises. • Once the canteen program is functional, add other priorities, such as building capacity within other service disciplines; meeting and planning with local first responders; or offering community disaster training. • Encourage advanced training for core disaster team members. • Assign your volunteers to schedule and host additional “Intro to EDS” classes to increase your volunteer base. • Continue to use your key advisory board member to help manage the team and advocate for the program.

12. Project: Working with Community Leaders and Businesses

13. Let’s Make It Work • Automotive Repair/Service • Boxes • Cleaning Supplies • Communications Equipment (cellular phones, internet) • Fuel (gas, diesel, propane) • Food Supplies • Furniture • Heavy Equipment (forklifts, pallet jacks, dock plates) • Office / Shipping Supplies • Real Estate (temporary disaster offices/warehouses) • Rebuilding Supplies • Trucking (Shipment, Storage – both refrigerated and dry) • Vehicles (rental cars, vans, and trucks)

14. Project: Advisory Board Members as Disaster Workers

15. Let’s Make It Work Advisory board members have technical or leadership skills that can be readily applied to a disaster situation. During a local disaster event, when local Salvation Army personnel may be very limited, consider asking advisory board members to serve as “leadership” volunteers on a disaster operation.

16. For additional training information, go to: www.uss.salvationarmy.org Developed and presented by: Jeffrey Jellets, CEM Credits